The prolonged Indian occupation has terribly damaged the mental health of Kashmiris. The psychological agony in the valley runs deep, yet the world’s attention has largely remained elsewhere. Humanity in Kashmir, at the hands of Hindutva, is as wounded as it is in Palestine under Zionist oppression. Over a hundred thousand people have lost their lives, and the oppression continues unabated. The methods may differ, but the cruelty inflicted on ordinary people is strikingly similar.
Those who find this exaggerated should read the latest report by the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR), which details how India’s state-sponsored atrocities and long-standing illegal occupation have devastated the mental health of the Kashmiri people. The report emphasizes that mental well-being is directly linked to living conditions and to the violation of human rights guaranteed even under international law. Over the long course of occupation, more than 100,000 individuals have perished at the hands of Hindutva brutality, and over 8,000 enforced disappearances have been documented. After the revocation of Articles 370 and 35A on August 5, 2019, a new wave of cruelty and repression began in the valley, largely hidden from the world’s view. Long curfews, oppression, coercion, the longest internet shutdown in history, and arbitrary laws have together made ordinary life unbearable.
According to KIIR, nearly 45 percent of adults in the valley, roughly 1.8 million people, suffer from mental stress. Among them, 41 percent experience depression, 26 percent anxiety, and 19 percent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Nearly 47 percent of surveyed adults have faced severe traumatic events, including the killing of close relatives, physical abuse, or arbitrary detention.
According to KIIR, nearly 45 percent of adults in the valley, roughly 1.8 million people, suffer from mental stress.
Among children aged 8 to 14, 22 to 27 percent suffer from psychological disorders, a direct result of growing up in a constant climate of fear. Between 1994 and 2012, suicide attempts increased by more than 250 percent, reflecting the growing impact of prolonged mental distress.
For a population of 12.5 million in Jammu and Kashmir (according to the 2011 census), there are only 41 practicing psychiatrists, mostly concentrated in Jammu and Srinagar. Mental health services are largely limited to GMC Srinagar and SKIMS Hospital, while ten districts collectively have only 140 psychiatric beds. Across the occupied territories, there are on average just five to six district consultants.
In 2020, Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, ( IMHANS) reported over 77,000 mental health patients, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Arshad Hussain highlighted rising levels of anxiety and depression. According to the National Family Health Survey, 61 percent of women report reproductive health issues, compared to the national average of 39 percent. Research by SKIMS found that 65 to 70 percent of PCOS patients also suffer from psychological disorders, and 75 percent of daily patients at SMHS and the Government Psychiatric Hospital are women.
A survey in the valley revealed that 91 percent of widows would not consider remarriage, reflecting both social and psychological pressures. One tragic example is 15-year-old Ishtiaq Ahmad Khande, who was killed on June 29, 2010. His mother, Jameela Bano, was later diagnosed with depression and PTSD.
The KIIR report makes clear that prolonged armed conflict, human rights violations, curfews, internet shutdowns, and social pressure pose a serious threat to public mental health in occupied Kashmir. The high prevalence of mental disorders among adults, children, and women, rising suicide attempts, and limited medical facilities point to a mental health crisis of epidemic proportions, with deep and lasting effects on both current and future social and psychological conditions.
Studies by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Kashmir University confirm that nearly 45 percent of adults in occupied Kashmir suffer from mental stress or psychological distress, with 41 percent experiencing depression, 26 percent anxiety, and 19 percent PTSD. Among children aged 8 to 14, roughly 22 to 27 percent are affected, a logical consequence of growing up under constant fear and uncertainty.
Repeated exposure to violence and human rights violations has profoundly impacted people’s psychological well-being. Nearly 47 percent of individuals have faced extreme trauma, including witnessing or experiencing the killing of close relatives or acts of abuse. This environment has also contributed to a rise in suicidal tendencies; in 2021, 586 suicide cases were reported in Kashmir, and experts note that this number is likely rising.
Mental health services in Kashmir remain extremely limited. Shortages of psychiatrists, social stigma, and restricted access to care have worsened the crisis. A tele-mental health center established in 2022 received approximately 12,500 calls, of which 500 required urgent psychological intervention.
Kashmir is an occupied territory. It is not a peaceful region where accurate statistics are easily available. Most of India’s atrocities go unreported, and only a fraction of incidents are documented. If the situation is so grim even for the few reported cases, one can only imagine the true scale of the crisis.
The writer is a lawyer and author based in Islamabad. He tweets @m_asifmahmood